Jaded
by FidgetGlitterBlossom
Summary: It was only a matter of time until Cedric's evil corrupted the only good thing in his life. Sofia has changed. Cedric doesn't know why or how, but he can't deny it any longer. But when her evil manifests, can she cope with the weight of her own actions and the events she's set into motion? And how can Cedric save her from herself? Dark Adult!Cedfia. M for good reason.
1. Yesterday's Child

**Author's Note:** This chapter is short on purpose, it's only job to show us the things Cedric has noticed as 'off' about Sofia since the events of Day of the Sorcerers. Subsequent chapters will be longer. Decided to make this chapter the first one after all.

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After his stint in the dungeon, and subsequent reinstatement as Royal Sorcerer, thanks in no small part to Sofia, Cedric very nearly went straight. In fact, he likely would have, convinced that any further attempts would only destroy his friendship with the princess completely, and maybe even harm her directly.

The nightmares haunted him, dark dreams where he didn't escape his imprisonment, and Grimtrix froze Sofia along with her family. He began teaching her the defensive arts, determined to prepare her should Grimtrix return or any other threat come her way. He should have noticed the changes in his apprentice right away.

King Roland may have returned Cedric's title, but he demanded that Sofia cease spending time alone with the sorcerer. No longer bound by the amulet's moral code now that Elena was free, Sofia defied her father outright.

When Cedric refused to teach her his transportation spell at such a young age, she learned it in secret, using it to sneak into his tower at every opportunity. He knew it was wrong to indulge her deviance, but he didn't have the heart to put up a barrier spell around the tower, so the visits continued.

There were other signs, small ones. One day she came to him fuming because she just found out what happened to princesses when they reached adulthood. He tried to calm her, to explain to her that this was just the way the world worked, and her father would be very selective about her future husband.

Instead of accepting her fate, she shocked Cedric by stating that she should have let him be king, because she believed he would never send her away in such a barbaric fashion. Not knowing how to reply, he simply dismissed the statement. This conversation would haunt him later.

Over the next few years, she grew increasingly protective of the sorcerer, and he was forced on several opportunities to return someone to human form and remove their memories of exactly who it was that changed them into a rock or animal in the first place. When questioned, her response was always the same. A callous shrug followed by 'They spoke ill of my Master.'

She was twelve when he caught her in the garden, practicing spells from the forbidden texts he kept hidden in his tower. He stayed out of sight and watched her cast spell after spell, pride and fear battling within him. He hid the books in new places, but somehow she always found them.

At thirteen, her powers exploded. Cedric couldn't explain it, though the king demanded he try. No longer able to deny her gifts, her parents secreted her off to Hexley Hall to learn to control herself. Merlin, still 'temporarily' filling in for Grimtrix after five years, did his best to guide Sofia towards a righteous path as her powers continued to grow.

She split her free time between lessons in Cedric's tower and adventures with her new friends, Indigo and Wendell. More often than he liked to admit, Sofia transported herself into Cedric's tower, begging him to clean up some mess the three teenagers had created using magic they had no business toying with.

In her fourteenth year, her older siblings were officially presented to the court, alerting Sofia to just how soon her childhood would be ending. She again demanded that Cedric somehow save her from this fate, and again he admitted to being woefully unable to interfere. It broke his heart when she transported away after declaring that she would never speak to him again.

A few days later, she was back, begging forgiveness for her harsh words and promising that he was still her best friend. Though she hinted at having her own plans to maintain her freedom, she refused to let him in on the details. Cedric tried to write the incident off as simple teen angst, but something in the back of his mind kept chipping away at the long pattern of questionable behavior.


	2. My Baby Blue

Cedric was hard at work on a potion meant to wipe out a recent outbreak amongst the villagers' crops when her message came. The strip of parchment that appeared on his worktable contained only one word.

 _Zlatorog_

He eyed the potion warily, knowing it would likely be ruined if he ran off to Sofia's aid. With a groan, he transported himself to the only mountain top that he knew for certain was home to the horned creatures.

It didn't take long to locate Sofia and her cohorts being chased down the mountain by an angry stampede of magical golden-horned goats. There was a strong temptation to grab Sofia and take her home, leaving the other two troublemakers to their fate, but Cedric knew that whatever had transpired here was most likely his apprentice's doing, and the other teens were simply along for the ride, as they always were.

He watched Sofia turn and shoot an impressive lightning blast at one of the creatures before tripping backwards over a snow mound and falling to the ground directly in front of the herd. Shaking his head, he used his wand to bring himself directly in front of the fallen princess, then conjured a windstorm that pushed the enraged goats back up the mountain and into their cave. He finished what he considered to be a valiant rescue by adding a door to the cave opening, keeping the goats locked inside, at the very least for long enough to get everyone off of the mountain.

"Why did you do that?" Sofia demanded, struggling to her feet in the dense snow. Cedric turned to give her an astonished glare, sure that he hadn't heard the girl properly.

"You were seconds away from being stomped flat. I think 'thank you' is the phrase you're searching for, Sofia." He spat out, brushing snow off of her shoulder and looking her over to be sure she was unharmed.

"I didn't want you to get rid of them. Now I have to start all over." She retorted, then covered her mouth quickly, realizing she just admitted to agitating the animals on purpose. Cedric quirked an eyebrow at the girl.

"Start what all over?" He demanded. When she didn't answer, he turned to stare at her accomplices, but they offered no more explanation than she did. Taking out his wand again, he sent the other children back to Enchancia so he could speak to his apprentice alone.

"Great, now I have to do it alone, too." Sofia sulked, trudging back up the mountain top. She made it about three steps before Cedric froze her in place.

"Unfreeze me!" She demanded, struggling against the spell.

"Tell me what you're up to, and I'll consider it." He retorted, circling her so he could look her in the eye.

"It's nothing. You wouldn't understand, anyways." She replied, shifting her gaze away from the sorcerer.

"Then make me understand." He urged her, his voice more gentle now. She eyed him for a minute before speaking.

"I needed some of their blood. Just a drop or two." She confessed. Cedric's brow furrowed in confusion.

"Why the devil would you need that?" He questioned, glancing quickly back up at the cave.

"It cures aging." She stated simply, as though her mission needed no further explanation.

"Sofia, you're fifteen years old. Why in hell would you need to cure aging? So badly that you're willing to consider blood magic, no less." He brought his gaze back to her just as the first tears began to roll down her face. Breaking the spell, he wrapped his arms around his apprentice, letting her cry on his chest.

"I have less than a year, Master Cedric." She blubbered, sniffling loudly. He lifted a hand to rub his face, letting these words sink in.

"This is about being presented?" He asked, finally piecing together what it was that Sofia was upset about. She nodded against him, confirming his suspicions. He stepped back to look over the crying girl before him.

"Sofia, look at me." He instructed her. Her red-rimmed eyes turned up at him, waiting expectantly for his next words.

"Did you honestly think that it would make any difference whether you were physically one year younger when it came time?" He had to stifle a laugh when she nodded sincerely, though he didn't do a very good job of it, and the hurt from his reaction registered on her features.

"I didn't mean it like that, girl. Don't look so offended. I just... Sofia, whether you get Zlatorog blood or not, you'll be sixteen on your next birthday." He explained, pulling her back into the embrace. She pondered his words for a few minutes.

"I'll renounce my title." She muttered, leaning into his warmth. Cedric shook his head.

"You know as well as I do that your father would never allow it." He pointed out. Truth be told, he'd entertained the idea himself, but a princess needed to be twenty-one to do so, and a girl like Sofia would be drowning in offers long before that age. Eventually, he knew Roland would select the most profitable match.

"I could run away." Sofia stated firmly. Cedric frowned at the idea.

"If you tried that, he'd not only stop you, but marry you off immediately. Believe me, anyone eager to marry a fifteen year old girl is not the sort you want for a husband." Cedric countered.

"Would someone actually want to marry me now?" She asked in disbelief.

"I'm afraid so, Sofia." Cedric answered, hating to have to be the one to explain such things to her. When she shivered against him, he transported them back to the warmth of his tower. Sofia wasn't ready to be finished with the conversation, though.

"He's such a hypocrite! He married my mother for love." She began pacing the floor of his tower, one of many habits she had picked up from her mentor over the years, absently chewing at her fingernail as she went.

"That's a second marriage, Sofia. He already fulfilled his duty with his first wife, and their children." He explained, his words stopping her in her tracks.

"I'm expected to have children with a stranger?" She spat out, her voice heavy with disgust. Cedric nodded, avoiding her gaze.

"That means I would have to-" The sorcerer held up his hand to silence her, very uncomfortable with discussing that part.

"Enough, princess. I'm well aware of how it works." He answered simply. _Though I'm fairly certain you shouldn't be._ He added silently.

"There must be something you can do. Please, Master Cedric." Her tone and the pain in her features broke his heart.

"Sofia, do you honestly think I haven't had this same debate with myself? I'm in no hurry to see you married off to the highest bidder, either." Cedric answered, wishing for all the world that he could fulfill her request.

"Well, I'll just have to come up with a new plan myself, then." She insisted, transporting out of the tower before he could try to talk her out of anymore schemes.

He turned his attention back to the potion on his work table only to find it ruined, just as he'd predicted.


	3. I'm The One That Jaded You

Sofia's coming out ball was thrown several days after her actual birthday. Over the last ten months, she'd done everything she could think of to delay the inevitable, alongside all of her usual misadventures. When the day finally arrived, she spent the entire morning hiding out in Cedric's tower, much to the sorcerer's chagrin.

Cedric eyed Sofia as she moved about the tower. She had shunned her usual purple tones for an emerald green gown, the hue bringing out the natural red undertones of her waist length auburn tresses, which fell wild about her. The gown hugged her curves, making her look far more grown up than Cedric thought she had any business to. To make matters worse, every time she caught Cedric's gaze on her, she flashed him a wide, charming grin.

He kept making excuses when this happened. Sofia was in front of something he needed, he wanted her to fetch some ingredient or another, anything to pretend he hadn't been caught up in the way she was disguised as an adult today.

And if it was just today, or just this gown, or even just because she was about to be presented to polite society as a woman, he might be able dupe himself, as well.

The truth was that over the last month or so, her presence had driven him to distraction much more often than he would ever admit. But the fact remained that he was much too old for her, and she would soon be lost to him, anyways, caught up in the world of royal courting, and eventually marriage.

"You don't suppose he'd choose you?" Sofia inquired, stopping to study Cedric. The sorcerer was taken aback by these words, and it took him a while to find his voice.

"Sofia, he would never... and I... I wouldn't..." Taking a deep breath, he started over.

"Your father will select a king or a prince. Possibly a duke." He answered, deciding he didn't want to know why she would ask such a question in the first place.

"There's not one of _them_ I would care to marry." Sofia spat bitterly, returning to her path along the stone floor.

"Enough, Sofia. Regardless of your feelings on the matter, your father expects tonight to be spectacular, and that includes the magic show." He stated firmly, gesturing to the work table in front of him, currently covered with a long list of things he needed to do, all of his potion making supplies, and several spell books. He turned back to his work, doing his best to ignore the way she was pacing behind him, her dress shoes clicking against his stone floor.

"You should be king, Master Cedric. Then I could stay here with you, instead of being shipped off like bartered goods." Sofia whispered just loud enough for him to hear. Cedric scowled at the her over his shoulder.

"I'll not have you speaking treason in my tower, girl." He insisted, ignoring the slight temptation to hear her out.

"Why not?" She demanded, meeting his gaze with newfound courage.

"Isn't it obvious? I'm in no hurry to see that pretty little neck of yours with a noose around it!" Cedric snapped, anxious to end the conversation. He did his best to turn his attention back to his work.

"No, you'd rather see me a nobleman's broodmare." Her voice was thick with contempt, and Cedric flinched at the accusation.

"Personal feelings aside, princess, _you_ have no business saying such things, and _I_ have no desire to be king." Cedric managed through gritted teeth.

"But you did, once." Sofia reminded him, as if he needed any reminder.

"I almost lost you!" He shouted angrily, slamming his fist down on the table, rattling bottles and phials, and making Sofia jump. He pulled his hand back to curl his fists at his sides. A silence settled into the tower, both parties at a loss for words.

"And now you would let him separate us, and lose me forever?" Sofia's tone held far less confidence than her words would suggest. Cedric didn't answer, still taking deep breaths to curb his temper.

"What if I gave you the amulet?" Sofia ventured quietly. Cedric spun to face her, narrowing his eyes at the girl as she lifted her hands to the clasp at her neck.

"What?" He answered, struggling to keep the emotion out of his voice. His body language and stern gaze practically dared her to repeat the question.

"If I give you the amulet, you can end all of this, right?" She questioned him. Cedric plucked his wand off of the table and took several angry steps towards his apprentice.

"Try it, little girl, and I'll end _you_." His tone was practically a growl, and Sofia backed away as he advanced, her hands falling back to her sides.

"I simply thought..." She offered, trailing off as she watched her mentor's expression grow ever colder.

"I know what you thought." He told her sternly, his wand still held threateningly in her direction. Sofia bit her lip, and Cedric could see tears forming at the corners of her eyes, but he was too furious to care at the moment. He pressed the tip of his wand against the soft flesh of her throat, eliciting a gasp from the princess.

Get out!" He yelled. Sofia turned and fled the tower, slamming the door behind her. Once she was gone, Cedric slumped to the floor.

Eight years. He'd abandoned all plans to take over the kingdom eight years ago. Since then, he'd worked hard, throwing himself into his trade and making a name for himself instead of living in his father's shadow. Yet the first person who claimed to see the good in him, the one whose opinion had come to matter above all others, still believed that he was a monster simply biding his time.

And if he was a monster, then what was Sofia? Cursing people for speaking badly about him, routinely endangering herself and her friends, memorizing forbidden texts... For fuck's sake, she had just offered up her entire family on a platter to save her own hide!

All of the things Cedric had been in denial about for the last eight years finally clicked into place as he realized that Sofia, once the only truly good thing in his life, was becoming every bit as evil as himself. Worse, Cedric only had himself to blame for her corruption.


	4. To the Other Side

**Author's Note:** Not much to say about this one except that I couldn't wait to get to this chapter, and the next two after it, so I'm really excited to finally be putting it up. Sometimes weekly updates feel like an eternity, lol. Also, I hope no one minds that this is a double length chapter, there was no good spot to split it without coming up short in this or the next update. Reviews are, as always, loved.

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His tasks completed, Cedric hurried down to the ballroom, arriving just as the party was getting underway. Sofia made no qualms in seeking him out, pretending that their argument earlier in the day never happened.

"Dance with me?" She asked, already dragging him to the floor excitedly.

"Sofia, I need to speak with you." He answered, trying to shake her grip on his sleeve.

"Later, Master Cedric. As the birthday girl, I insist on a dance." She prodded. With a sigh, Cedric offered his arm, escorting her to the dance floor properly.

When they got there, he took one of her delicate hands in his, wrapping his other arm around her waist. Sofia placed her free hand on his shoulder, and they began to waltz.

The princess always demanded that he be her first dancing partner at any ball and, if he were being honest with himself, he'd have to admit that these carefree moments with his best friend were the main reason he now showed up to such events at the very beginning instead of hiding out until he was expected to perform. He was so familiar with their dances that they now came as naturally as breathing.

As they floated across the floor, Cedric allowed himself to get lost in the memories of their previous dances, going all the way back to the day he'd stolen her amulet and twirled her around the village square in an attempt to convince the child to show him how to be good.

His breath caught as he imagined it, the stark opposite of their altercation this morning when she offered him the amulet in hopes that he'd help her carry out some nefarious scheme.

The music ended, and he tried to pull away, but Sofia clung to him.

"Please, I'm not ready yet." She stated, her words practically a whimper. Cedric nodded stiffly, taking a deep breath to clear his thoughts as they waited for the next song. A slow number began, and Sofia stepped closer to the sorcerer, moving her hand down to his arm and resting her head on his shoulder.

"Wouldn't it be perfect if things could just stay like this?" She murmured about halfway through the dance.

"Sofia, you know that's not possible." Cedric answered her as gently as he could.

"Shh... Just let me pretend for a minute." She replied, lifting her head to look into his eyes as she spoke.

"Alright. Only for a minute." He conceded, effortlessly spinning them around the floor. As the song ended, a young man tapped Cedric on the shoulder.

"May I cut in?" His cheerful voice inquired. Sofia squeezed Cedric tighter, but he pulled away, gesturing to the man that it was fine by him. Making his way to the sidelines, Cedric leaned against the wall and watched the pair dance together.

"Would you dance with me, Cedric?" A woman asked him. Tearing his eyes away from the princess, he found the speaker.

"Duchess Matilda?" He asked in bewilderment. Though they'd grown up in the palace together, the two were hardly close, and the woman had certainly never sought him out at a social event before. She simply nodded, holding out her hand. Knowing it was good manners to do so, he took it in his own and led her to the floor.

"They make a handsome pair, don't they?" The duchess asked.

"I suppose, but does he have to be so careless with her?" Cedric asked, watching the man dip Sofia far too quickly, nearly toppling her backwards. Matilda laughed, and it finally dawned on him that he'd been caught watching Sofia.

"I'm sorry, where are my manners?" He apologized, prying his gaze away from the princess to focus on his own partner.

"Nonsense. I figured you'd have a better view from here, and you do." She explained, giving another airy laugh. Cedric flushed, not sure what to make of her setting him up like that.

A commotion to his side pulled his attention back to Sofia and her partner, the young man now dancing wildly, hopping from foot to foot as he moved. Sofia pulled back to avoid having her feet trampled, and Cedric spotted her discreetly tucking her wand back into a fold of her blue evening gown. Cedric tried to pull away, but Matilda clicked her tongue at him.

"Ah, ah... Sofia's a big girl. She can handle herself." Matilda scolded, clearly unaware that Sofia had already done just that. Not wanting to get his apprentice in trouble, Cedric returned to dancing with the duchess, though he continued to watch Sofia closely.

Similar but escalating fates struck Sofia's next several partners. One man was bumped into by a wayward servant, spilling a tray of red wine down his back. The next tripped on his own feet, falling backwards and landing quite ungracefully on his bottom. Next, a prince Cedric vaguely recognized from Sofia's days at Royal Prep pulled his hamstring.

An older blonde man asked Sofia to dance, and Cedric watched with narrowed eyes as the suitor, who he estimated to be nearly as old as himself, moved his hand down from Sofia's waist and grabbed her rudely, bending down to whisper something into Sofia's ear that clearly unnerved the princess. Before Cedric could defend his apprentice, the pair came too close to the edge of the dance floor and a candelabra fell, setting the lout's foot on fire. Cedric caught sight of Sofia's wand as each incident occurred.

"You're a fantastic dancer, Cedric." Matilda complemented him as they parted after several songs, the duchess ready to return to the sidelines.

"Thank you, Duchess Matilda." He muttered, still watching a small army of servants fret over the royal with the injured foot.

"You don't suppose my brother will pick that one, do you?" She asked, shooting a sly smile at the sorcerer as she grabbed two glasses of wine from a passing tray.

"I certainly hope not." Cedric grumbled, accepting the glass that she offered him.

"Too bad these things aren't decided by who best dances with the princess." She continued.

"I dare say none of them did a very good job." Cedric replied dryly.

"No, none of them." The duchess agreed, studying her companion closely. She finished her drink after a few large swigs and bid Cedric a good evening.

The sorcerer quickly made his way back to Sofia, wrapping his arm around her waist and pulling her in to dance again. She grinned up at him, clearly surprised by his actions.

"You never ask me for a second dance." She happily stated, the smile never leaving her face.

"I thought it safer for everyone present if I dance with you myself." He replied sternly, trying not to let her good mood become infectious.

"Then it seems I've made my point." She countered, pressing closely against him for another slow dance.

"You would harm several nobles to prove a point to me?" He whispered the astonished question into her ear.

"The last one had it coming. Did you see the blond gentleman?" She asked, the conversation pausing as Cedric dipped her, staring down at her expression, which was now quite serious, before bringing her back up.

"What of him?" He demanded once she was close enough to continue their hushed conversation

"That's Roderick. I freed some horses that he'd stolen when I was eight years old. Tonight he promised that he would be more than willing to accept me as repayment for what he's 'owed'." She summarized their run-in, causing Cedric to grip her tighter out of protectiveness toward his apprentice.

"While his hand was..." Cedric ventured, unable to finish the sentence properly.

"At the very same time." She confirmed his suspicion.

"I'll kill him!" Cedric insisted, spinning her as a cover to try and find the offender.

"You'll do no such thing. It seems he's become king since our last encounter. And you know as well as I do what would happen to you if you made any move against him." Sofia pointed out the risk, and Cedric found himself grudgingly agreeing with her. Between what she'd been up to all night, and concern that King Roderick would make further advances, Cedric remained Sofia's partner until it was time for his magic show.

"It's not everyday that one gets to celebrate his apprentice's sixteenth birthday." Cedric stated, walking up onto the platform that had been prepared at the rear of the ballroom. A few stragglers turned to face him, but his eyes remained fixed on the auburn-haired princess in the front of the crowd

"I have to admit, it isn't always easy dealing with a teenaged girl. Sometimes she makes me want to just... Just..." For a moment, Sofia was afraid Cedric's nerves were getting to him, but when he pointed his wand at the table behind him and three large potion containers exploded, showering the crowd with confetti, she realized it was all part of the act.

"But I wouldn't be half the sorcerer I am without her. At the very least, I'd be a full head shorter." He joked, pulling his hand across his throat to reference the time she'd saved his ass by pleading mercy from her father, a gag that got a rise out of King Roland, who laughed louder than anyone as Cedric paused for everyone to settle down.

His eyes narrowed as he watched King Roderick push through the crowd, coming to a stop beside Sofia and snaking his arm around her waist.

"So to celebrate her birthday, I thought it might be a nice surprise to put her on the spot and have her come join me up here." He went off script, trying to keep the anger out of his voice. Sofia was all too happy to oblige, pulling away from the blonde king to take Cedric's offered hand as she walked up the wood stairs.

The two performed several tricks, trading good-natured barbs and banter as they worked. Soon it was time for their finale, and Cedric decided it should celebrate the first time he'd met the youngest princess.

Lifting his wand to the sky, he conjured great thunderclouds, light streaking through them as they boomed loudly. He was careful to keep everything contained so no rain or lightning would strike the guests.

Sensing how difficult this spell was to control, Sofia was swift with her own wand, turning the clouds into light and dark purple flowers that rained down all over the ballroom. They clasped hands and bowed several times to the cheering crowd of guests in front of them.

As soon as they climbed down and Cedric used his magic to make the stage and fallen flowers disappear, Roderick approached Sofia again.

"I think my foot has recovered enough for another dance." He leered at her as he spoke, wrapping his arm around her shoulders to pull her away from Cedric.

"I'm afraid I've already promised the princess a dance to celebrate our successful show." Cedric answered, giving the king the most sincere smile he could muster, though his fists were curling at his sides.

"You've already danced with her all night, surely you could-" Roderick attempted to lead Sofia away again as he spoke, but she wriggled free from his grasp.

"Sorry, King Roderick, but a promise is a promise." Sofia managed to sound pleasant, though Cedric couldn't imagine how. He offered her his arm, and the two returned to the dance floor. While they moved about the floor, Cedric watched Roderick approach Sofia's father, speaking to him at length.

"He'd make a fine snake." Cedric decided, feeling the weight of his wand in his pocket.

"I think it would be more fitting if he were a horse." Sofia replied, giggling at the idea of turning the king into an animal.

"Sofia, I'm surprised at you." Cedric spoke in a scolding tone. She turned her azure eyes up to meet his amber ones, wondering why he was chiding her when he was the one who started the conversation.

"A horse is far too noble of an animal." He continued in mock offense, causing her to laugh so hard that she had to cover her face to muffle the sound.

"Cedric, a word?" A familiar voice took his attention away from Sofia, and he instinctively put some extra distance between himself and the princess.

"Y-yes, your highness?" Cedric stammered out, wondering what it was that King Roland wanted of him so late in the evening. The king motioned for Cedric to follow him off the dance floor, and the two walked back to the side of the room.

"It has come to my attention that disaster has befallen every one of Sofia's partners. All except you." Roland spoke, eyeing the sorcerer suspiciously.

"I assure you, Your Majesty, I had nothing to do with that. Perhaps they should try not dancing like buffoons who have never attended a ball before." Cedric answered, knowing he should have kept the second part to himself, but not willing to stay completely quiet on the matter. From the corner of his eye, Cedric spotted Sofia standing within earshot, wand at the ready to defend him. He discreetly attempted to wave her away.

"No matter, she's managed to receive an intriguing offer, anyways. I just wanted to tell you that if you had anything to do with the string of accidents, I would have to take the matter very seriously." Roland strode away before Cedric could say anything else.

"Well?" Sofia asked impatiently as Cedric returned to her.

"Merlin's mushrooms, girl. He thinks I'm the one cursing every man who so much as looks at you." Cedric hissed angrily. Sofia smiled contritely.

"Sorry, I really didn't mean to get you in trouble." She apologized to her mentor.

"Well, you did. Apparently, someone has offered to court you, anyways." Cedric confided to her what the king had told him, watching Sofia's eyes grow wide.

"Who?" She demanded. Cedric shook his head.

"Your father didn't say, but I saw King Roderick speaking with him for quite a while during the last few songs." Sofia made a pained noise, and Cedric did his best to comfort her


	5. Wouldn't Trade It

**Author's Note:** Fluffy alert! We get back to our regularly scheduled darkness soon, promise. (There is a bit of it in this chapter, but mostly not.) And yes, I took a few liberties with a canon episode's plot, but I made sure not to change it too much.

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After Cedric broke the news to Sofia, the two of them sat down at a table and waved over a servant with a tray full of wine. Sofia spent the next hour drinking far too much, despite Cedric's attempts to convince her that she should slow down. Cedric probably drank more than he should have, too, though he handled it slightly better than his apprentice. Eventually it became obvious that he would need to escort Sofia back to her chambers.

Cedric allowed the girl to lean on him as he helped her down the corridors, but when it became clear where he was heading, she fought against him.

"I don't want to go to bed. Let's go to the tower and have tea." She pleaded, her voice slurring as she attempted to steer them in the other direction.

"Sofia, you need sleep." Cedric insisted as sternly as he could manage in his current state.

"Oh, I couldn't possibly sleep, yet, Mr Ceedric." She retorted, sounding out her childhood mispronunciation of his forename with a wide grin.

"Don't be cheeky with me." He retorted, though he had already turned in the direction of his own part of the palace.

"I'm sorry, do you prefer _Master_?" Sofia leaned closer, practically purring the last word into his ear, Cedric's eyes growing wide at the question. While technically the title was correct, and she'd been using it in place of 'mister' ever since she'd started at Hexley Hall and become his apprentice in earnest, Sofia had never said it quite like that before, and suddenly other implications of the term dawned on him.

"Don't." He warned sharply, facing away from her as he half-dragged the drunk princess up the stairs.

"But it's true." She replied, pouting up at the sorcerer.

"It's not too late to take you to your room, you know." Cedric pointed out, propping her against the stone wall so he could use his hands to retrieve his key and unlock the heavy wooden door.

"Okay, _Master_ Cedric, I'll be a good girl." Sofia promised, shooting a sly smile at Cedric as she watched his reaction to her words. If he didn't know better, he would swear his apprentice was flirting with him. He pulled Sofia inside and helped her into one of his chairs before lighting the torches and starting their tea.

"I can't believe I'm expected to marry a man who thinks it's okay to hurt an eight-year-old girl." Sofia moped, frowning at the idea.

"He hurt you?" Cedric asked, his anger growing toward this Roderick character with every single thing Sofia told him.

"He threatened to, and he certainly attempted to make good on that threat." She explained. Cedric scowled.

"I suppose I have no moral high road on the subject." He finally answered with a sigh.

"You never once tried to hurt me." Sofia reminded him, her voice firm.

"I tried to make you disappear once." He admitted, seeing no reason to keep his past actions a secret anymore, since everything had basically been out in the open for years now. Sofia furrowed her brow in concentration, trying to remember him doing such a thing. Her eyes grew wide as her memory conjured up the event in question.

"You were the sea monster?" She questioned, studying her mentor closely. He simply nodded, making no attempt to hide his shame.

"My gods, you were terrifying!" Sofia practically shouted, covering her heart for dramatic effect.

"You seemed to handle it well enough." Cedric pointed out, claiming the chair opposite hers at the table.

"Outwardly, maybe. And only then because so many people were depending on me. But I was so scared. I had nightmares about it for weeks after." Sofia recounted, not meaning to make him feel worse, but accidentally doing just that.

"I am so sorry, Sofia." Cedric stated, reaching across the table to clasp one of her hands between his own. They sat in silence for a minute, both lost in their own thoughts.

"It makes more sense, now." Sofia spoke quietly, almost more to herself than her companion.

"What does?" Cedric asked, curious to know what the princess meant.

"Well, I had just learned the disappearo spell. From you, actually. For the longest time, I couldn't figure out why the sea monster used a spell that would send me far away instead." She explained, smiling softly at him as she spoke, having hit upon yet another instance where his fondness for her steered his actions. Cedric shifted uncomfortably in his chair.

"Yes, well, I had every intention of bringing you back after I used the comb." Cedric stated, though he knew that didn't really make what he'd done any better.

"What were you intending to do with it, anyways?" Sofia inquired. The kettle whistled and Cedric was glad for the excuse to get away from the table. He prepared the tea silently, leaving Sofia to wonder if the conversation was over.

"You see, it was the perfect opportunity for me." He began, keeping his back to her as he spoke.

"I planned to use the comb to sink the floating palace, drowning everyone on it. But I couldn't very well do it with you aboard, could I? So when I saw you under the water with the mermaids, I knew you'd be safe." Cedric stirred some sugar into Sofia's tea as he spoke, leaving his plain.

"Then you came after me, and I was afraid you might go back to the ship for help, putting yourself in danger during my attack. If I sent you somewhere far away, though..." Cedric brought the two cups to the table and sat down, relieved to find that Sofia was still willing to hear him out.

"I figured... when I brought you back, I could tell you that a sea monster had sunk the ship, and you'd believe me because you'd seen the monster with your own eyes." He finished, being sure not to leave anything out. It was his turn to be shocked when Sofia began to laugh. Seeing his reaction, she calmed herself.

"The mermaid queen thought we had Oona aboard the boat. She was conjuring a storm to sink it while you and I were having our... confrontation. All you had to do was kidnap Oona and sit tight, and she'd have done the rest for you." She filled in the parts he didn't know about, and he joined her in the next bout of laughter, rubbing his face in disbelief.

"Leave it to me to make everything more complicated than it need be." He stated, shaking his head. Raising his tea cup to Sofia, he shared a warm smile with her.

"To complicated friendships." He toasted. Sofia clinked her own cup against his.

"May they never end." She added before sipping the hot tea. Something occurred to her, and she hurriedly set the cup down on the table and scrambled to her feet. Cedric quirked an eyebrow at her as she approached him.

"The music is still going downstairs. Listen." She exclaimed, placing a finger to her lips. It was true, Cedric could just hear the strains of a song floating up to his tower.

"Yes, your point being?" He questioned, still not grasping what she was getting at. Sofia grabbed his hands, attempting to bring him to his feet, though she nearly toppled herself into his lap doing so.

"Dance with me." She insisted, laughing as she tried again to pull him up.

"Sofia, you're quite drunk, and I'm only slightly better off." Cedric reminded her, shaking his head and attempting to shoo his apprentice away.

"All the more reason. It'll be fun." She insisted, reclaiming his hands and making yet another attempt.

"I'm too old for this." He griped, standing anyways.

"Oh, stop it" Sofia scolded him. She pressed closely against him and brought both her arms up to clasp her hands behind his shoulders. With no free hand to hold, Cedric circled her waist with both arms.

"This isn't how waltzing is done." He complained, feeling overly aware of how close they were.

"No, but as you said, we're drunk. I doubt we could waltz properly, anyways." She pointed out, giggling as she and Cedric swayed about the workshop, the sorcerer clearly enjoying the dance more than his words would suggest. They danced for two songs and then Cedric pulled away, ignoring Sofia's pouting.

"These things go to the early hours. I'm not going to entertain you all night." He grumbled, though the smirk on his face let on to how much fun he was having spending time with her.

"That's alright, I'll entertain you instead." Sofia countered, sticking her tongue out at him as he returned to his seat.

"You'll do no such thing. Sit down and drink your tea." He demanded, shaking his head as she began to move alone.

With her arms stretched high into the air, Sofia began a dance completely unfamiliar to the sorcerer. Her body was fluid movement, every part of her working in tandem, tantalizing and overwhelming his senses. Cedric watched her intently as she swayed her hips in time to the music, her flat stomach and narrow waist moving in ways he'd never seen before, in a ballroom or anywhere else. His eyes were glued to her as she travelled about the workshop in front of him. Sofia was sinew and grace, and Cedric was captivated by her.

He was shaken from her hypnotic spell when the song ended, and Sofia flounced across the room to take a quick sip of her tea.

"What the devil was that?" He inquired, completely mystified by what he had just witnessed.

"It's a style of dance I learned in Tangu. Isn't it amazing?" Sofia answered, practically bubbling over with excitement. The next song struck up, and Cedric gestured back toward the open floor of the workshop.

"Do it again." He replied with a wide lopsided grin. Sofia giggled and hurried back toward the window.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** So in my head, Sofia is less into romance novels than Amber, but is drawing on the few she's read that actually appeal to her while trying to flirt with Cedric.


	6. Complicated

Author's Note: Super excited to finally post this chapter! Weekly updates can be torturous when you have one you're really happy with and can't wait to share, lol.

Just a warning for anyone who doesn't check my profile for updates/posting schedule, this is the second last chapter of this story before it goes on hiatus for the month of October. So, a chapter next week, and then we'll be back to normal in November.

* * *

Cedric would have watched her do this strange dance all night. Hell, he wanted her to do it forever. Unfortunately the hour was growing late, and though she seemed as enthusiatic to have him for an audience as he was thrilled to be one, after four or five songs, he convinced her to stop and finish her now cold tea.

"Why have I never seen this talent of yours before?" He mused out loud as she flopped into her chair, energy nearly spent.

"You've never come to Tangu with me." She pointed out.

"I prefer a more... moderate climate. But next time, I will definitely go." He stated, sipping his own previously forgotten drink.

"You promise?" Sofia asked, a bright smile gracing her features at the idea of showing him all around one of her favorite places.

"If I forget, you have my permission to strap me to the damn carriage and drag me there." He swore, dragging his fingers across his heart for emphasis. Sofia leapt to her feet and hurried over to him, throwing her arms around his shoulders.

"Thank you. You won't regret it. Tangu is one of the greatest places in the whole world." She blurted out, practically bouncing with excitement.

"I believe you may still be drunk, my dear." Cedric teased, pushing her back slightly. Sofia shook her head enthusiastically.

"Nope. All better." She answered, still glowing with happiness. Cedric scoffed at the obvious lie.

"Good, then I suppose you can return to your room now." He teased, not actually in any hurry to send her away.

"Can't I stay here? We're having such a good time." She pouted at him as she waited for a reply.

"I don't know... Isn't it way past your bedtime?" The edges of his mouth twitched as he fought to hold back his grin. Sofia huffed at his words.

"I'm not a little girl anymore, Master Cedric." She insisted.

"I beg to diff-" Before Cedric could finish his sentence, her lips were on his, kissing him with a passion so intense that it completely disarmed him.

He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her down to sit on his lap. Reaching up, Sofia ran her hands first through his white bangs, then to the black hair at the back of his head, weaving her fingers through the thick, silky strands, the intimate motion sending excited chills through the sorcerer. Cedric pulled back to nip at her bottom lip, and she opened her mouth, allowing his tongue access to roam inside of it, finding hers easily.

Sofia had never been kissed this way before, but with him leading it didn't take long for her to catch on to the intricacies of it. Cedric lifted a hand to cup her face, caressing her cheek with his thumb as he withdrew from the kiss to stare at his apprentice in awe.

"Still think me a child?" She questioned, clearly amused by her own game. At a loss for words that would adequately describe how he was thinking of her in that moment, Cedric simply shook his head.

"Get up." He demanded, pushing against her slightly to make his point.

"But-" She tried to protest, but this time he stopped her words with his mouth, a quick but tender kiss, meant to reassure her that he was merely switching positions, not ending their fun. Easily grasping his meaning, Sofia scrambled to her feet. Cedric stood and wrapped his arms back around her waist, lifting the petite girl easily and depositing her onto the table. Sofia stared into his amber eyes, intrigued and just a little intimidated by the darkening hunger she found there.

Bringing his lips to hers again, he was surprised when Sofia gingerly stuck out her tongue, prodding him to part his lips for her. He was all too happy to comply, letting her explore him at her own pace.

When he needed to come up for air, he moved his mouth to Sofia's pale neck, trailing kisses downward towards the top of her bodice. He watched her breasts heave as she panted, the motion nearly as hypnotic as her dancing had been earlier.

"We. Really. Shouldn't. Be. Doing this." He spat out between kisses, not sure which of them he was trying to convince. Sofia reached down and gripped his shoulders, leaning herself backwards to rest on her elbows. He moved his lips to her breasts, alternating between sweet kisses, licks, and occasional light bites that made Sofia gasp.

Sofia stared at him half-lidded, fascinated by the sight of her Master Sorcerer doing things she'd only ever dreamed of. She rubbed her thighs together, trying to sooth a growing ache that she didn't fully understand.

Cedric shook off his robe, then placed his hand on her knee, parting her legs so he could stand between them, bringing their bodies closer. Sofia became acutely aware of a hardness pressing against her, and instinctively wiggled towards it, trying to relieve the growing pressure building up inside her.

The sorcerer stopped to watch her writhe against him, amused at how she seemed to understand just what to do, though he was fairly sure she had no experience with such matters. He stepped back, earning a mewl of protest from the princess, and lifted her skirts up around her waist before bringing his mouth back to meet hers, leaning forward until she was flat on the table, the weight of him pressing into her in a way that Sofia found surprisingly pleasant. She could feel that secret part of him pressing against her again, the sensation intensified now that only her shift and his trousers separated them.

She began to push her hips up against him again, and was rewarded for her actions when he began to move along with her. One of his hands tangled up in her long curls while the other cupped her breast through her bodice, massaging gently.

His lips traveled back down, and with little effort he freed her breast and brought his mouth to her painfully hardened nipple, kissing and sucking on it as their bodies worked together below. When he scraped the rosy skin lightly with his teeth, Sofia arched her back, a sensation she'd never experienced before coursing through her, washing away all thought until there was nothing but his mouth on her breast, and that wonderful hardness working between her legs. He continued his manipulations and Sofia shut her eyes, feeling for all the world like they were floating.

"Master Cedric!" She hissed loudly, though she was only vaguely aware that she spoke at all. She clutched at the sorcerer, feeling for all the world like he was the only thing tethering her to reality, but he backed away from her, leaving her exposed flesh chilled by his absence. Opening her eyes, she blinked up at him in confusion as he stood before her, eyes wide, shaking his head as if he were trying to clear troublesome thoughts away.

"What is it?" She asked through ragged breaths, wondering if she'd done something wrong.

"Go to your room, Sofia." He insisted, quickly turning away from her.

"But I thought-" She began to protest.

"You thought wrong!" His voice was harsh, and his words wounded her deeply. She sat upright, pulling her bodice back up and smoothing her skirts down around her.

"Is it something I did?" She asked, her voice pleading with him for an explanation.

"Get out. Before I show you what happens to little girls who flirt with evil men." Cedric growled, his fists curled tightly at his sides. Sofia stood and approached the sorcerer, placing a tentative hand on his shoulder.

"What if I want you to show me?" She managed to squeak out, though it took all of her courage to do so. Before she could even register his movements, he grabbed her outstretched arm, gripping her roughly around the wrist. He pulled her forward, bringing his face mere inches from hers, and Sofia watched as something wicked flashed across his dark eyes.

"Do you not understand, child? I don't want you. Get out!" His tone was growing louder, angrier, and Sofia tried to pull away from him, but he held her there for a minute, staring darkly at her. When he released her wrist, she turned and fled from the tower, running down the stairs and not stopping until she reached her chambers, locking the door behind her. Sofia leaned against the wall, catching her breath, then threw herself on the bed and sobbed until sleep claimed her.

Cedric climbed down the stairs to his private quarters, dropping to his bed in frustration. He'd done the right thing, he was sure of it. He'd been cruel, and he regretted that part deeply, but it was the only way to get her to leave before they both crossed a line they could never come back from.

He'd been so close, so caught up in the moment that defiling the princess was practically inevitable, but then she'd called his name in that sweetly familiar voice, snapping him back to reality. Thank the gods she did, since neither of them were thinking straight until that very moment. Now the only question was how he would ever face her again.


	7. Everything is a Blur

**Author's Note:** An entire chapter without Sofia! Believe me, I'm as surprised as anyone. Man, this was fun to write, though. Quick reminder that this is the last chapter before the story goes on hiatus until November!

* * *

After that night, the night of Sofia's coming out ball, Cedric did everything he could to avoid his apprentice as she doggedly sought him out. It was a difficult situation, he'd seen that the princess was teetering on the brink of darkness, and knew she needed guidance, but as a formerly evil sorcerer, he had no idea how to give that to her. Add to that what had nearly happened the last time they were alone together, and he was sure he had no business being around Sofia at all.

The memories of their encounter tormented both his waking moments and his dreams, often going much too far beyond the point where he'd sent her away. His vivid imagination was more than happy to supply the details of what might have happened had he not stopped things when he did.

So, he stayed vigilant. When her lilac smoke would begin to appear in his tower, he'd leave, knowing perfectly well that she would see his own lime cloud when she materialized, but having no better option short of magically blocking her from his quarters.

Cedric never expected to see the puff of blue and white smoke in his tower, though. He watched in slack-jawed astonishment as his very own idol appeared before him, taking a moment to look about the workshop before training his gaze on Enchancia's royal sorcerer.

"Master M-Merlin? To what do I owe this honor?" He stammered out, standing from his desk chair in a show of respect to the older sorcerer. Merlin gestured for him to sit back down.

"I'm sorry to say that I'm here to discuss your apprentice, Cedric." Merlin informed him gravely, using his magic to bring a chair over from Cedric's table so he could sit and talk.

"What has she done now?" Cedric asked, suppressing a groan.

"It's what she hasn't done. She's not been to school in weeks. Her and another student, a..." Merlin trailed off, trying to remember the name of the boy.

"Wendell Fidget." Cedric supplied, his voice low and full of annoyance.

"Yes, that's the very one. I'm afraid that if they don't regularly attend starting tomorrow, I will have no choice but to expel them both." Merlin stated firmly.

"Isn't this the sort of thing you should be discussing with Sofia's parents?" Cedric frowned, his concerns over Sofia's behavior returning to the forefront.

"In a normal school, yes. In Hexley Hall, we do things a little differently. As her Master, I'm urging you to see to it that she makes it to school tomorrow. Sofia has vast potential, Cedric." Merlin leaned forward, choosing his next words carefully.

"I have... other concerns about the girl, as well." He confided to Cedric, keeping his voice low as he spoke. Cedric studied his aged face for a minute.

"What else?" Cedric ventured, steeling himself for more bad news.

"Cedric, Sofia has been a student in my school for three years now. In that time I have noticed some things that make me... uneasy."

"Such as?" Cedric replied, quirking his eyebrow at Merlin and waiting for him to continue.

"She has a tendancy to be unruly... sometimes outright antagonistic with both students and staff. The girl possesses a great deal of magic, as I'm sure you are aware. If she were to continue down her current path... I fear what sort of destruction she may someday be capable of." Cedric listened closely to Merlin's astute description of his apprentice, noting how closely it matched his own worries, only viewed from a less personal angle.

"Believe me, I fear for the girl's well-being, too. I simply have no idea how to get her back on the proper path. She used to be so... very..." Cedric threw his hands up, at a loss of words to adequately describe how much the princess had changed over the years. Merlin simply nodded, standing to leave.

"Let us all do our best, and hope that it is enough." Merlin answered simply, also unsure of what else could be done.

"If you'll excuse me, I need to go speak with Wendell's Master now." He bid Cedric goodbye and disappeared again.

Cedric went about his work, cautiously keeping an eye out for Sofia's signature cloud. When the hour grew late and the sky began to darken, he realized that she had given up on coming to him, and he would have to be the one to seek her out.

He decided to start at the Hanging Gardens, where she and Wendell often sat around hatching devious plots that mostly involved nearly getting themselves killed for a laugh. When he arrived, he accidentally barged in on the teenaged boy on top of someone, a rather feminine pair of legs wrapped around his waist.

Cedric let out an involuntary snarl and marched toward the pair, ripping Wendell backwards with a strength that stunned all involved, only to find that the girl beneath was the red-haired witch and not his princess. Cedric covered his eyes as the teens hurried to get themselves decent.

"What are you doing here?" Wendell demanded as he fastened the belt of his trousers. At first, Cedric was too busy laughing at the situation to answer. Indigo had finished dressing and quickly grabbed her broom, seizing her opportunity to flee the scene. Wendell watched her go, then returned to shooting an annoyed glare at the older sorcerer.

"I'm sorry..." Cedric began, still chuckling.

"I thought that was, that you were..." He did his best to calm down, now laughing at the absurdity of his assumption.

"You thought I was fucking Sofia?" Wendell asked with a scoff. His amusement stopped at these words, and Cedric gave Wendell a stare that could level a building, not at all impressed with the way he'd phrased the question.

"Yeah, well, don't worry... I mean I would fuck her, obvi-" Wendell didn't get a chance to finish the sentence before Cedric's gloved fist collided with his jaw, knocking the skinny teenager onto the ground. Wendell spat, his saliva tinged with blood.

"What the hell was that for?" He demanded incredulously. Cedric shook his head at the boy's lack of self-awareness.

"Where did she go?" He interrogated the boy, crouching down to grab Wendell by the collar of his Hexley Hall robe.

"I don't know. She left nearly an hour ago." Cedric released him roughly, letting him fall back to the floor.

"I swear to the gods, if you ever touch her..." He threatened, not bothering to finish his sentence.

"Like I could with you around!" Wendell retorted, scrambling to his feet. Cedric pointedly ignored the meaning of his words and turned to leave, but paused.

"If you're both not in school tomorrow, you'll be expelled. I expect your Master is looking for you right about now." Cedric informed him before transporting away.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** This is the second time I got to write a scene where Cedric gets jealous and punches someone, and I have to admit that jealous Cedric is super interesting to me, so don't be surprised if it happens again in this or any other of my stories.


	8. In all its Misery

This is another story update that's been sitting finished on my phone since before my hiatus. Not really sure why, since upon rereading I'm pretty content with it. I just didn't have much confidence in my writing at the time, I guess. I'm slowly going through all the old files to find the ones that are ready to go up.

* * *

Cedric tried several more of Sofia's usual spots, but didn't find the princess in any of them. Defeated, he returned to the tower, hoping maybe she had turned up there, after all, or at least sent him a note. The tower, like the rest of the palace, was dark and silent.

His legs moved of their own accord, his mind too busy alternating between being furious with Sofia and terrified for her safety to register where he was headed. He threw open the door he found himself standing in front of, letting it slam against the wall, and barged in, startling Sofia's handmaid.

"Yo-you can't be in here. It isn't-" The woman, whose name Cedric had never bothered to commit to memory, began to scold him.

"Give us the room!" Cedric barked out, his eyes fixed firmly on Sofia.

"But, Sir..." The maid tried again, and Sofia broke from staring back at Cedric.

"Out!" She commanded, and the woman scoffed but left quickly, though Cedric was sure she lingered just outside the door.

"What is it?" Sofia asked, her attention back on her mentor. Dressed for bed in a bright blue night gown, her hair left to hang wild, Cedric had to remind himself that he wasn't here to marvel at her beauty, nor to repeat their last encounter.

"Where were you all day?" Cedric demanded, having flipped back to righteous anger now that he knew she was perfectly fine.

"I don't believe that's any of your business." She answered coolly, her eyes challenging him to dispute her words.

"You are my apprentice, it couldn't be any more of my business." He retorted, watching as Sofia fidgeted with her skirt, a telltale sign that she was less confident about the encounter than she was trying to appear.

"I punched Wendell Fidgett today." He blurted out, though he had other, more important things to say. A breathy laugh escaped the princess and she scooted over to make room for him on the bed. Cedric stared at the empty spot hesitantly.

"I won't bite... unless you'd like me to." Sofia prodded him, a mischievous gleam in her eye to match her teasingly brazen tone.

"That can't happen again, Sofia. It shouldn't have happened the first time." He stated firmly. She patted the bed again and against his better judgment, he sat down atop her covers.

"So just what did poor Wendell do to earn such treatment?" Sofia questioned, clearly amused by his confession. Cedric side-eyed her for a moment, trying to come up with a suitable answer for why he had done it.

"I found him in... amorous congress with Indigo, only I didn't know it was Indigo until after I attacked him." He explained as delicately as he could. Sofia studied him closely, astonishment apparent on her features.

"You were jealous." She accused, and Cedric felt his cheeks begin to burn from the truth of her words.

"I may have been slightly..." He paused to search for the term he needed.

"Jealous." Sofia repeated in singsong, dragging the syllables out painfully.

"Concerned." Cedric supplied his alternative, though he could tell she didn't believe him. They sat in silence for what felt like an eternity.

"Is that all?" Sofia finally broke the quiet, and for the first time since he sat down, Cedric turned to actually look at her.

"What?" He queried, not sure he'd heard her correctly for how quietly she'd spoken.

"You just came here to rub it in that my friends may choose to be with whomever they want, while I remain a prisoner of my station?" All the merriment had disappeared, replaced with bitterness and annoyance. This was definitely not going as planned, perhaps because he never really had a plan to begin with.

"Of course not. Why would I do something so needlessly cruel?" He asked softly. Sofia wrapped her arms around herself protectively.

"It seems to be within your nature." She spat out. She hid her face from him, but the quiver in her voice told him she was on the verge of tears. Awkwardly, he raised a hand to stroke a russet tendril.

"I did that to protect you." He replied apologetically. Sofia let out a sniffle and shifted away from him.

"I don't need protection. Especially not from you." She insisted stubbornly, locking eyes with him, her gaze imploring him to accept the truth of the sentiment.

"You've forgotten who I am, Sofia." He muttered, escaping her stare to glance down at his gloved hands, the only place he felt it safe to look.

"No, you've forgotten who you are. I remember quite well." Sofia responded, her tone seeming to grow colder by the minute.

"I've changed, Sofia. I'm not that man anymore. You made me a better person just by being in my life." He insisted, hoping even a little of what he was saying could get through to the girl.

"Do you think you'll change again when I'm gone?" A tear finally escaped, trailing down Sofia's cheek, and Cedric instinctively reached out to wipe it away before drawing his hand back, too afraid to touch her after what happened. "You should go." She told him, waving dismissively. Cedric craned his head to the door, considering the option carefully, but he hadn't told her about Merlin, yet, so he couldn't just leave.

"Why aren't you going to school?" He questioned, aware that it was likely the last thing she wanted to talk about right now.

"What use is Hexley Hall to the future Queen of Borrea?" Sofia choked out, surprising Cedric with the revelation.

"So it was Roderick after all." He mumbled, finally giving into the urge to clear her face of tears. She nodded slowly into his palm.

"What am I to do?" Sofia asked, searching his eyes for some hidden answer. How he wished he had anything to say that might improve her situation, but nothing came to mind. Instead, he stretched a comforting arm around her, allowing the princess to cry into his chest until she wore herself out.


End file.
